House News

HOUSE WELCOMES

Our School year began with our House Welcomes. Our House Welcomes are important events that honour our House Patrons and acknowledge our College staff and students. Held across seven nights, our House communities came together to welcome our new Year 7s and new students joining the College in Years 8 to 12, along with their families, into College and House life. We also took the time to recognise our Year 12s as senior members of the St Columba’s College community.

(Left) Year 7 O’Brien House students.

NEW HOUSE LEADERS

Our House Leaders play an integral role in the House system at the College. Introducing our new House Leaders for 2021: Heath Morris – Bruton House, Rebecca Spiteri – Cahill House and Daniel Kelly – Williams House. They join Nicole Mazzarella – Cater House, Carmel Anile-Saade – Cunningham House, Liliana Condello – de Lacy House and Kathy Hicks – O’Brien House. REBECCA SPITERI HEATH MORRIS DANIEL KELLY

HOUSE CAPTAINS

St Columba’s House Captains are important members of the Student Executive (see page 14) at the College. They work to support their House through various activities and experiences. Introducing the House Captains of 2021:

BRUTON Molly Tyrrell CAHILL Caitlyn McDonald CATER Emily Dungan CUNNINGHAM Juliana Basilone DE LACY Mikaela Mihocic O’BRIEN Antonia Crea WILLIAMS Stephanie Nass

(Right) (L–R) Antonia Crea, Juliana Basilone, Molly Tyrrell, Stephanie Nass, Caitlyn McDonald, Emily Dungan and Mikaela Mihocic.

SWIMMING CARNIVAL

The day started with grey skies and intermittent rain, but ended with sunshine and happy faces. Students and staff brought their House spirit to the Queens Park Swimming pool, where they participated in swimming races, novelty races and water polo. With wonderful participation, it was Cahill House who took out the overall Carnival. This year the Year 12 cohort introduced a ‘Best Costume’ award, with participants dressing up and representing the seven College Houses. They campaigned across the day with the final win going to Bruton House’s Molly Tyrrell and Ava Cullia.

(Right) Cahill House Captain, Caitlyn McDonald.

(Above) Molly Tyrrell and Ava Cullia, Best Costume winners.

ATHLETICS ACTIVITY DAY

If it is not a global pandemic, then it is the weather getting in the way of our Athletics Carnival. Unfortunately, this year’s carnival was cancelled due to inclement weather. This did not stop staff and students from having an afternoon of fun onsite at the College. Our VCAL students took control and developed an afternoon of novelty activities and a fundraising BBQ. With egg and spoon races, bean bag toss and a tug of war, not even the staff could resist in joining in. Our VCAL students turned what could have been a day of disappointment, into a day filled with joy. And they raised over $300 for Caritas, through their BBQ.

(Left) Year 7s ready themselves for an egg and spoon race.

YLEAD

Our House Representatives and Student Executives took part in leadership training with yLead. Through fun and dynamic activities, our student leaders were challenged to find their leadership style, formed plans to bring their big ideas to life, and built strategies to effectively work as a team. Our student leaders came away from the day, with a new-found confidence in their ability to lead their peers through a successful 2021.